Kargil, August 22, 2024: For the third consecutive year, the UT level mock exercise on earthquake, GLOF and cloudburst disaster organized by UT Ladakh in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India was successfully concluded today in Kargil.
The UT-level Table Top Exercise (TTEx) was headed by Consultant (ME&IRS), NDMA, Major General Sudhir Bahl (Retd) who virtually monitored the exercise of Kargil.
Deputy Commissioner/CEO, LAHDC, Kargil Shrikant Suse; SSP Kargil, Shree Raam R; Colonel Shankalap; ASP Nitin Yadav; ADC Kargil, Suhail Ahmed; CPO Kargil, Abdul Hadi; ACR Kargil, Muhammad Sharief; Chief Controller of Finance Kargil, Iftikhar Hussain; CMO Kargil, Dr Liyaqat Ali, EO MC Kargil, Razia Khatoon; Dysp Telecom, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat; HQ to DC Office, Arifa Iqbal; AD DIPR Kargil, Raza Ali; Tehsildars; Engineers; Police and Army Officers, besides other district officers of other concerned departments and concerned officers and officials first gathered at Conference Hall Baroo.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Kargil conducted the emergency response mock drill exercise which started at 9 a.m. with a presumed earthquake at Conference Hall. Necessary drill was started with alert by sirens, business continuity check at Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), situation briefing from various through wireless or satellite communication.
After assessment of presumed damage, comprehensive response was planned at EOC as per directions of Chairman DDMA through deployment of task forces for each site consisting manpower and machinery from different departments deployed to each site under supervision of Incident Commander ADC Kargil for search, rescue operation and relief from staging area set outside the Council secretariat.
Following this, DC Kargil along with SSP Kargil, ADC, Kargil, district officers/officials and Police Officers visited the Staging Area Camp for responders at Council Secretariat Ground for assessment of response executed by various departments.
They also visited simulation sites like Jaffaria Academy of Modern Education, Kargil Filling Station, Kurbathang, Council Residential Quarter, near Council Office Kargil, GNM Hospital Building and Relief Camp at RDD building to oversee the mock drill exercise.
At all the simulation sites mock drill exercises were conducted successfully in presence of respective Nodal Officers and concerned officers and officials.
NDRF teams, officials of MC Kargil, Health, Tourism, Information, PHE, PDD, Mechanical, R&B etc., representatives from NGOs, student volunteers, volunteers of University of Ladakh, NCC cadets of GDC Kargil, GREF, volunteers from AJUIAK, Baseej-e-Imam, Bassej Baqaytullah (Anjumane Sahib Zaman Sankoo, Al Shabab Volunteers (Maktab-e-Imam Raza Sankoo), Aapda Mitra, NYK and others took part in mock drill exercises at simulation sites.
During the mock drill exercise, drones were used at the simulation sites to monitor the mock exercise and other activities like rescues, treatment, relief etc.
The exercise was conducted both in Leh and Kargil districts to sensitize the stakeholders about the preparedness of response mechanisms at the time of earthquake.
Senior district officers thanked and appreciated all the departments, other stakeholders, religious organizations, and volunteers of different organizations for their efforts in making the mock drill exercise successful with team spirit and dedication. They also appreciated the role of observers during the entire exercise. They expected the same zeal and dedication in future to tackle the disasters.
Later, a night mock drill was also conducted at Andoo as part of the UT level mock drill exercise to test the preparedness of several departments, men and machinery in the district. In this regard a landslide was also presumed at Andoo where the mock drill exercise was also conducted successfully under the overall supervision of DC Kargil in presence of the concerned departments.
